RISBDC lands $80,000 SBA grant

PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Small Business Development Center at Johnson & Wales University was awarded an $80,000 grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration to help the center offer continued assistance to small businesses affected by natural disasters.

The grant, announced Tuesday, will allow RISBDC to continue offering assistance to the Ocean State’s small business struggling to recover from the 2010 floods and last year’s Tropical Storm Irene.

“This additional funding for disaster assistance by the RISBDC is critically important,” said Mark S. Hayward, director of the SBA Rhode Island District Office. “The technical assistance available to small businesses impacted by the natural disasters will play a vital role in their economic recovery.”

With the funding, RISBDC will be able to deliver assistance to a greater number of businesses applying for economic injury relief through the SBA’s low-interest disaster loan program.

“These grant funds will allow the RISBDC to further extend its targeted no-cost technical assistance resources and educational workshops to impacted businesses,” Adriana I. Dawson, interim state director of the R.I. Small Business Development Center, said in prepared remarks.

The filing deadline for the economic injury loans related to the Secretary of Agriculture’s declaration for Tropical Storm Irene is May 22. The deadline for the SBA disaster declaration for Tropical Storm Irene economic injury loan is June 26. Applications require a business plan and full financials.

For more information contact the RI Small Business Development Center at (401) 598-2702.

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